Spreader with adjustable directional outlet

ABSTRACT

A spreader for spreading materials comprising a case for holding a product to be spread. The case comprising an aperture for ejecting the product to be spread from the case. The spreader further comprising a conveying device for displacing a portion of the product to be spread in a direction towards the aperture. The spreader equally comprising aperture adjustment device for controlling the displacement of an aperture obstruction device relative to an aperture surface of said aperture. The spreader further comprises a speed controller for setting the speed of the conveying device. The spreader comprises as well a blower for projecting the product to be spread, the blower having an inlet and an outlet. The direction of the outlet is adjustable along different angles. The spreader also comprises a angle adjustment system for the outlet of the blower. The inlet of the blower is placed at an angle relative to the aperture of the case.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to spreaders. More particularly, the present invention relates to a spreader with a blower having a directionally adjustable outlet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The spreading of materials such as lime or ash, for foresting or agricultural applications is usually made through the use of spreaders.

In order to facilitate their tuning and to allow a more precise control of the quantity of products to be spread, certain spreaders have been equipped with electronic control means like what has been described in European patent application 1797751. These types of control means can control a hydraulic moving carpet device placed at the end of the spreader, in a manner to control the volume and the force of the products to be spread onto a terrain. However, the scattering mechanisms of such spreaders project the products in a manner that is often random and over short distances.

As such, the spreaders of the prior art cannot spread product over long distances in precise directions nor can they equally be adjusted and controlled with ease.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention proposes a spreader that addresses at least one of the fore-mentioned needs and allows an efficient control of the distance and the direction of the spreading of the material.

Therefore, the present invention provides a spreader for spreading a product comprising:

a case for containing the product to be spread, said case comprising an aperture for the ejection of the product to be spread from said case;

a conveying device disposed in said case, for displacing at least a portion of said product to be spread in a direction towards the aperture;

a speed controller for setting the speed of the conveying device;

an aperture obstruction device for obstructing, at least partially, said aperture;

an aperture adjustment device for controlling a displacement of said obstruction device to adjust an aperture surface of said aperture;

a blower for projecting the product to be spread exiting the case, the blower further comprising an outlet and an inlet, the direction of the output being adjustable along different angles;

an angle adjustment system for adjusting an outlet angle of the outlet of the blower,

wherein the inlet of the blower is placed at an angle relative to the aperture of the case.

The invention concerns a spreader which functions similarly to a snow blower allowing, for example, lime to be sent from one side to the other of the spreader in an adjustable fashion. The spreader can be towed by a all-terrain vehicle or by any small four-wheel vehicle. The invention can be used on maple tree farms to spread on material on the maples in order to protect their development. The device also allows for the spreading of manure, granular lime, as well as lime in the form of powder.

The invention is useful for the protection of different types of trees. For example, maple is a tree which can grow in different types of soils, including acidic soil. However, its growth is optimized when the soil is just slightly acidic. The spreading of lime reduces the acidity around maple trees, thus increasing the yield from 15 to 20% of the maple farm. The spreader can also be used for blueberry farms, strawberry farms, as well as orchards and vineyards. The invention is particularly useful in vineyards where there is typically not a lot of space to circulate machinery between the vines. The compact design of the apparatus allows circulation with ease between rows of vines having small space between them.

These and other features, advantages and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims and appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

The other goals, details, characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better understood and will appear more clearly throughout the Figures and the description found below with regards to the various embodiments of the invention. The Examples given throughout are not to be understood as limiting the as scope of the invention in any way, shape or form.

Concerning these Figures:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the spreader as per a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of a front part of the spreader shown at FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are top and side views respectively of attachment means of the spreader illustrated at FIG. 1, to a motorized vehicle;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are side front views respectively of the blower for the spreader illustrated at FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the attachment system, of the spreader illustrated at FIG. 1, for attachment to a motorized vehicle;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the chassis of the spreader illustrated at FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the side of the spreader illustrated at FIG. 1, showing more particularly the blower;

FIG. 8 is a top view of the case of the spreader illustrated at FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a detailed perspective view of the front of the spreader illustrated at FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a top view of the blower of the spreader illustrated at FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the blower illustrated at FIG. 10;

FIGS. 12A to 12C are perspective side views illustrating the reorientation of the output of the blower of the spreader illustrated at FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the spreader illustrated at FIG. 1 with a beak installed at the output of the blower;

FIG. 14 is a detailed perspective side view of the spreader illustrated at FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The spreader according to a preferred mode of realisation of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4B.

With respect to FIG. 1, the spreader 100 comprises a case 102 for holding the 2 0 product to be spread. The case 102 comprises an aperture apt to allow the ejection of the product to be spread from the case 102. The spreader 100 comprises as well a conveying device 106, as better seen in FIG. 2, disposed in the case 102 and able to displace at least a portion of the product to be spread in a direction towards the aperture 104. The spreader 100 also comprises an aperture obstruction device for obstructing at least partially an aperture zone defined by the aperture. As well, an aperture adjustment device controls the displacement of the aperture obstruction device and regulates the aperture surface of the aperture zone.

The spreader 100 further comprises a speed controller 106 able to control the speed of the conveying device 106. The spreader 100 comprises as well a blower 108 to project the product that is exiting the case 102.

The blower 108 further comprises an inlet 110 and an outlet 112, the direction of the outlet 112 being adjustable along different angles. The spreader 100 has an angle adjustment system 114 for adjusting the outlet angle of the blower 108 while the inlet of the blower 108 is placed at an angle with respect to the aperture 104 of the case 102.

Preferably, the aperture obstruction device comprises a door supported and maintained in position by an actuator linked to the case.

Preferably, as shown in FIG. 13, a beak 120 can be installed at the output of the blower 108 in order to control and to adjust the spreading of lime in the form of powder or other types of powders. The beak can be removed and reinstalled for different operations. The outlet of the spreader can thereby be further adjusted along different angles for different spreading applications and the beak allows for spreading in multiple directions with a larger angle at the output of the spreader.

Preferably, the angle adjustment system for the outlet of the blower can be locked at different positions chosen by the operator with a mechanism 122 as illustrated for example at FIG. 14. A reorientation of the output of the blower is illustrated in FIGS. 12A to 12C.

The apparatus shown in the Figures disclose piping that can be hidden in other versions or embodiments of the present invention. For example, the piping can be hidden in the metal fitting of the case of the spreader.

In the prior art, large spreaders are disclosed which are not always appropriate for certain low skill spreading applications. A first generation spreader has been developed in order to facilitate the spreading of products among small trees for example pine trees. This spreader of the prior art used a scattering means which ejected, in a circular fashion and horizontally, the product to be spread.

The spreader according to the present invention allows spreading material at distances close to 100 feet. A four blade turbine is used with this spreader to offer satisfactory performances in order to meet the demands of the operator. Preferably, the motor used for the turbine is a hydraulic motor having a displacement varying between 59 and 125 cubic inches. An example of such a motor is a hydraulic motor of the type MLHP80C4/80 p.c.

In addition to the uses described above, the spreader of the present application can also be used to spread compost when such directional spreading is desired. Another example of such directional spreading is the spreading of seeds onto roadsides. The spreader of the present application can also be used to spread fire retardant product for the prevention and mitigation of forest fires.

Preferably, as shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B and 5, the spreader comprises an attachment system 130 for attachment of the spreader to a motorized vehicle to confer mobility to the spreader. Preferably, these attachment means 130 also allow the spreader to be pivotally attached to a motorized vehicle in order to avoid the spilling over of the spreader caused by the spilling over of the corresponding motorized vehicle it is attached to.

Furthermore, for certain applications, an extension tube can be installed to an extremity end of the output of the blower 108 of the spreader in order to facilitate the spreading of material in areas that are hard to reach, for example, when trees are in elevated areas or next to precipices.

Preferably, the spreader comprises a control unit for controlling the mass volume of the product to be spread as a function of both the mass of the product to be spread and the volume of the product to be spread.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of the chassis supporting the spreader on wheels 132.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detailed herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these precise embodiments and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention. 

1) A spreader for spreading a product comprising: a case for containing the product to be spread, said case comprising an aperture for the ejection of the product to be spread from said case; a conveying device disposed in said case, for displacing at least a portion of said product to be spread in a direction towards the aperture; a blower for projecting the product to be spread, the blower being in-line with the conveying device, the blower further comprising an inlet and an outlet the inlet of the blower receiving the product exiting the conveying device, the direction of the outlet being adjustable along different angles; and an angle adjustment system for adjusting an outlet angle of the outlet of the blower. 2) The spreader according to claim 1, further comprising a speed controller for controlling a speed of the conveying device. 3) The spreader according to claim 1, further comprising an aperture obstruction device for obstructing, at least partially, said aperture. 4) The spreader according to claim 3, further comprising an aperture adjustment device for controlling a displacement of said obstruction device to adjust a size of an opening area of said aperture. 5) The spreader according to claim 1, wherein the inlet of the blower is placed at an angle relative to the aperture of the case. 6) The spreader according to claim 1, wherein the blower is adjustable along different angles. 7) The spreader according to claim 3, wherein the aperture obstruction device further comprises a door supported and maintained in position by an actuator linked to the case. 8) The spreader according to claim 1, wherein the outlet of the blower further comprises a beak removably attached thereto for adjusting the spreading of the products to be spread. 9) The spreader according to claim 1, wherein the angle adjustment system can be locked at different positions by an angle lock mechanism. 10) The spreader according to claim 1, wherein the blower further comprises a motor having a displacement between 59 and 125 cubic inches. 11) The spreader according to claim 1, further comprising an extension tube attachable to an extremity end of the outlet of the blower for facilitating the spreading of the products to be spread. 12) The spreader according to claim 1, comprising a control unit for controlling the mass volume of the product to be spread. 13) The spreader according to claim 1, wherein the spreader is supported by a chassis on wheels. 14) The spreader according to claim 1, further comprising a pivotable attachment system for attaching the spreader to a motorized vehicle. 15) The spreader according to claim 1, wherein the product to be spread is in the form of a powder. 16) The spreader according to claim 1, wherein the product to be spread is lime. 17) The spreader according to claim 1, wherein the product to be spread is selected from the group comprising lime, granular lime, seed, compost, manure and fire retardant product. 18) The spreader according to claim 1, wherein the blower further comprises a four blade turbine. 